And ’vorse I may be yet:
the worst is not
So long as we can say
‘This is the worst.’
Ukraine is continuing.
Its cross-border raids.
– not just into Kursk.
But Belgorod too.
His assault battalion.
Helps plan these attacks.
– finding a way through.
‘Orcs’ minefields.
– finding a way through.
‘Orcs’ minefields.
And anti-tank obstacles.
Known as “dragon’s teeth”.
You joined him.
On a night-time mission.
To locate and recover.
Armoured vehicles.
In need of repairs.
It’s the safest time.
To move close.
To the ‘Mordor’’s border.
No words, no words:
hush.
Child Rowland
to the dark tower came,
His word was still,
-Fie foh, and fum,
I smell the blood of
a British man.
He himself is no stranger.
To ‘Mordor’:
He was born there.
He was born there.
He now has.
Belorussian citizenship.
But he chose to fight.
For Ukraine.
He justifies ‘elves’ incursions.
Into his former home.
‘Mordor’ too, he says.
Has been trying to.
Create a buffer zone.
Inside ‘elves’ territory.
Create a buffer zone.
Inside ‘elves’ territory.
No words, no words:
hush.
Child Rowland
to the dark tower came,
His word was still,
-Fie foh, and fum,
I smell the blood of
a British man.
Travelling in his ‘elves’-made.
Armoured vehicle.
He still lists.
The likely threats.
He still lists.
The likely threats.
Now you are less than 10km.
From the ‘Mordor’’s border:
Glide bombs.
Rockets and artillery.
And drones fitted with.
Thermal imaging cameras.
No words, no words:
hush.
Child Rowland
to the dark tower came,
His word was still,
-Fie foh, and fum,
I smell the blood of
a British man.
His own vehicle is.
Fitted with electronic.
Counter-measures.
To jam enemy drones.
But even those won’t.
Work against drones.
Operated via.
Fibre optic wires.
Those can’t be stopped.
Though on some routes.
Ukraine has now erected netting.
To try to catch the drones.
Before they can hit.
Their target.
Before they can hit.
Their target.
No words, no words:
hush.
Child Rowland
to the dark tower came,
His word was still,
-Fie foh, and fum,
I smell the blood of
a British man.
Your original search.
Near the ‘Mordor’’s border.
For a damaged US-made.
Bradley armoured vehicle.
Is abandoned when.
He receives intelligence.
That ‘orcs’ drones are.
Operating nearby.
Instead, he tries.
To locate another.
Broken-down Bradley.
Where the risks will be smaller.
He and his driver.
Still have to overcome.
Still have to overcome.
Obstacles along the way.
Trees and branches lie.
Strewn across their path.
– remnants from a recent.
‘Orcs’ air strike.
You see several more.
Explosions in the distance.
Briefly turning.
The night sky orange.
No words, no words:
hush.
Child Rowland
to the dark tower came,
His word was still,
-Fie foh, and fum,
I smell the blood of
a British man.
He eventually finds.
His broken-down Bradley.
It’s already been retrieved.
From the battlefield.
Across the border.
And has been loaded.
Onto a lorry.
To be taken back for repairs.
The Bradley commander.
Confirms to you.
That they’ve been fighting.
In ‘Mordor’.
He describes the situations.
Across the border.
As “difficult.
But we’re holding on”.
No words, no words:
hush.
Child Rowland
to the dark tower came,
His word was still,
-Fie foh, and fum,
I smell the blood of
a British man.
The Bradley is another.
Reminder of ‘elves’.
Reliance on.
US military support.
That now seems.
Less certain with.
The US President’s focus.
On peace talks.
He says it’s already.
Clear to him.
That there’s “haggling.
Behind Ukraine’s back”.
No words, no words:
hush.
Child Rowland
to the dark tower came,
His word was still,
-Fie foh, and fum,
I smell the blood of
a British man.
You ask him if.
He thinks European nations.
Can fill any void.
Left by the US.
Is a European “coalition.
Of the willing”?
Enough to guarantee?
Ukraine’s security?
“I think if America.
Doesn’t help Ukraine.
Then a ceasefire will.
Be agreed soon.”
“- but on extremely.
Unfavourable terms.
For Ukraine.”
He replies.
“Europe clearly cannot.
Resolve this conflict alone.
They’re not strong enough.
They’ve been focussing.”
“On their own economies.
Instead of thinking.
About security.”
He says he wants.
The war to end.
Like many ‘elves’.
He would like to see peace.
– but not at any price.
And ’vorse I may be yet:
the worst is not
So long as we can say
‘This is the worst.’
*Because I read “Ukraine’s ‘chaotic’ withdrawal from Russia, in its soldiers’ words” by Jonathan Beale on 21 Mar 2025, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem as a story of Serhiy, led by ‘KING LEAR’ written by William Shakespeare, you know.
Please read the original story on the BBC news:
Ukraine’s ‘chaotic’ withdrawal from Russia, in its soldiers’ words
